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Question

Difficulty: MediumSubject-Verb Agreement

In the field of ethnomusicology, researchers document oral traditions that are at risk of being lost. The transcription of complex polyphonic songs performed by Georgian folk ensembles _______ a deep familiarity with regional dialects and tuning systems. Without this specialized knowledge, scholars struggle to accurately represent the microtonal variations unique to each performance. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

  1. A
    require
  2. requiresAnswer
  3. C
    requiring
  4. D
    have required

Answer

requires
The true subject of the sentence is the singular noun 'transcription.' The phrase 'of complex polyphonic songs performed by Georgian folk ensembles' is a modifying phrase that intervenes between the subject and the verb. Because the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular. The singular present-tense verb 'requires' correctly agrees with the singular subject 'transcription.'

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the subject of the clause containing the blank.
The subject is the singular noun 'transcription'.
The prepositional phrase 'of complex polyphonic songs performed by Georgian folk ensembles' acts as an intervening modifier and does not determine the verb form.
2
Determine the correct verb form that agrees with the singular subject and fits the context.
The singular, present-tense verb 'requires' is correct.
It matches the singular subject 'transcription' and maintains the present tense established in the passage.

Key Concept

Subject-verb agreement requires matching the number of the verb with the true subject of the clause, ignoring any intervening phrases.
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Topics

Subject-Verb Agreement

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